Hand-built in France — usually ships in about 2 weeks.
The story behind every Esprit phono cable begins in 1996. That year Richard Cesari, a lifelong lover of music and hi-fi, began making cables, the work that leads to this phono cable.
The Esprit Gaia Phono Tonearm Cable is a pair of tonearm cables from Esprit's Gaia range. The Gaia phono cable is assembled by hand at Esprit's workshop in Confolens, in 1.2 and 1.8 m pairs and three connection types.
Heritage
Esprit calls Gaia the culmination of the technologies it has developed, its most advanced architectures at their highest maturity, and the Gaia phono cable is made in that spirit. Conductor density in the range is very high, built from pure copper strands of differentiated sections and, on some links, solid silver, and the Gaia phono cable draws on that work. Esprit describes the shielding of the Gaia phono cable as exceptional, with filtering intended to keep only its beneficial properties.
By hand, in Charente
In Confolens, Charente, the Gaia phono cable is made the way Esprit has always worked, entirely by hand. Esprit says this hand method lets it control every step of making the Gaia phono cable and keep each one consistent. Each Gaia phono cable then passes two complete inspections, one by its assembler and one at final packing, before it leaves the workshop. It is unhurried work, and the Gaia phono cable is made at its pace.
What you hear
Esprit speaks of extreme transparency, a three-dimensional stage and impressive stability from the Gaia phono cable. Its own summary of the Gaia sound is the finesse of the studio joined to the organic intensity of live music, an aim the Gaia phono cable is built to serve.
The Gaia phono cable combines PVC and silicone insulation: Esprit associates the firmer PVC with density and bass weight, and the softer silicone with a more fluid, open midrange and treble. Air forms part of the insulation of the Gaia phono cable, as specified: high-temperature polyvinyl chloride (PVC) + silicone + air + double nomex insulation.
Finding your place in the range
The Gaia phono cable is level 8 of Esprit's nine, above Eureka and below L'Esprit. The Gaia phono cable is offered RCA to RCA, DIN to RCA or DIN to XLR, in 1.2 and 1.8 m, so check the output of your tonearm and the input of your phono stage. You can see the Gaia phono cable beside the other Esprit ranges in our Esprit collection.
Specifications
| Range |
Gaia, Generation 10 (GenX), level 8 of 9 |
| Type |
Phono Tonearm Cable |
| Sold as |
Pair |
| Lengths |
1.2 m (3.9 ft), 1.8 m (5.9 ft) |
| Connection |
RCA, DIN or XLR |
| Connectors |
Esprit Eh Ag connectors: pure copper body with a solid silver center pin and 20-micron silver plating |
| Conductors |
40 strands of 40 AWG |
| Dielectric |
Asymmetrical dielectric |
| Insulation |
High-Temperature polyvinyl chloride (PVC) + Silicone + Air + Double Nomex insulation |
| Shielding |
Non-floating, triple shielded in pure silver copper: filtered chassis ground + French Braid |
| Plating |
20 micron copper/silver multilayer plating + center pin in pure silver |
| Made in |
Confolens, France, assembled entirely by hand |
Questions
How does the Gaia phono cable differ from the Eureka phono cable?
The Gaia phono cable sits one level above the Eureka phono cable. Compared with the Eureka phono cable, the Gaia phono cable uses Eh Ag connectors in place of Eh 200, high-temperature PVC plus silicone plus air plus double Nomex insulation and shielding specified as non-floating, triple shielded in pure silver copper: filtered chassis ground plus french braid.
Which connectors does the Gaia phono cable use?
The Gaia phono cable uses Esprit Eh Ag connectors, which have a pure copper body with a solid silver center pin and 20-micron silver plating. Esprit has developed several connector generations so that each range, the Gaia phono cable included, has an interface matched to it.
Which connection should I order for the Gaia phono cable?
The Gaia phono cable is made RCA to RCA, DIN to RCA, or DIN to XLR. Look at the socket on your tonearm base and the input on your phono stage, or send us both model names and we will confirm the right Gaia phono cable for them.
What does the Gaia phono cable cost?
The Gaia phono cable ranges from $8,499 to $11,199 per pair, depending on the options you choose. Sales tax is included in the price of the Gaia phono cable, and we deliver it free anywhere in the USA.
Where is the Gaia phono cable made, and when will it ship?
Esprit builds every Gaia phono cable by hand in its workshop in Confolens, France. The Gaia phono cable usually ships in about 2 weeks, with free delivery anywhere in the USA and sales tax included in the price.
From our boutique to your listening room
HiFi Boutique is an authorized Esprit dealer. Delivery is free anywhere in the USA, and sales tax is included in the price. Hand-built in France — usually ships in about 2 weeks.
